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Sri Lankan Representation in Middle East
Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment takes count of the departures of migrant workers but there are no accurate statistics available with the bureau how many Sri Lankans living in each country. As per World Bank statistics over a million Sri Lankans are living in the Middle East.
The foreign workers make the biggest source of foreign exchange income to the country exceeding textiles as well as the cumulative figure of all export oriented crops - tea, rubber & coconut. In 2016 the foreign remittance by Sri Lankans living abroad was 7.24 Billion US$ (Central Bank Report 2016) where the majority was generated from Middle East.
First things first!
After getting a job offer you MUST do a good research about the country and the company you are going to work for. It is a whole new world in many terms you are going to step in to. The best thing is to ask about it from friends/past colleagues who are residing/working in that country. But if you are unable to find them there will be a plenty of online resources to refer to. Although you may seem to get blinded with the salary converted to Sri Lankan rupees, it is always recommended to work out the numbers as the expenses also will be at the higher level. For an example, it is a usual scenario that the house rent in most of the middle east countries is higher than an engineer’s/senior manager’s full salary back in Sri Lanka. This is just one factor and you need to allow for schooling, entertainment, family air tickets back to SL for vacation apart from the general things like groceries, utilities & transportation (if these things are not provided by your potential employer). So it's better to do the numbers beforehand and see if those add up as getting a high salary has no point if your expenses are above that. Or else if you happen to learn these after stepping into Gulf, then it would be rather painful. After all most of us come to Gulf to save up some money - so make sure that works out!
Strictly do a check on the following before making a decision - there are many cases where Sri Lankan engineers and other professionals have got into trouble with the matters. .
- Read and re-read the terms of the salary. If unclear get clarification from the company. This is not to scare you but there are cases where companies not offering what they state and differ when you arrive. So make sure this does not happen. Also to sponsor your spouse/children (i.e. to be eligible to be a sponsor for a family resident visa), there is a minimum salary you need to have (defined by the government law). Make sure your satisfy that too!
- In your work visa - MAKE SURE that you have an ENGINEERING VISA or equivalent. This is a key thing. Many engineers who end up not getting an engineering visa (e.g. technician visa, salesperson visa etc) are not entitled to certain benefits like sponsoring a family, facing the difficulty of getting a driving license etc. So do not get into the difficult path.
- If the company is providing accommodation - make sure that it is up to the standard and at a good location. There are cases where people getting ended up in very low quality places and this is a thing you should avoid at all cost - after all you deserve a good rest after working hard all day.
- If company is not providing accommodation, do a full research on the suitable rent houses and options. If you are moving with the family, then make sure that amount is affordable for your new salary as this is the biggest single expenditure throughout your stay in Gulf.
- The same thing applies to your medical insurance - things like dental care will be really expensive. So be on the one page with your company medical scheme or make sure you can afford a private or state medical insurance.
Even if you get clarified the above stated facts, do not move things in a hurry. When you get an appointment letter from the future employer in middle east, do not rush to give the resignation to your current employer. It is always good to keep informed the present employer about your future plans (as a courtesy) as they also need to have a fallback plan when you leave. But until your employer in middle east has secured your working visa in that country, you are not safe. So don’t rush - take your time to make sure things are in tact. Ask them a copy of the visa copy and you may be able to validate whether its genuine from that country immigration/labour ministry website. It is assumed that before you go to this step, you would have done a thorough research about the company you are going to work for (the best thing is to ask some friends, search in Facebook/Linkedin the friends/colleagues working in the same country). Unless you are fully confident about the future company/country, do not make the mistake of leaping first and regret later. Always remember that you are stepping in to an alien soil and things are not working as per your perception - not to scare off but be prepared & mindful.
Moving with family or alone?
This is a serious factor. If you are planning to move to there with the country with your wife & kids, you have to be extra cautious as there are many things to consider like schooling, cultural shock, weather, community etc. But with careful planning this new adventure can be converted to a pleasant experience for all of your loved ones. Attention to detail is the key e.g. you need to consider the location of your office, the place where you are going to rent a house and your kid’s school location (in some gulf countries public transportation is not that efficient and may not be widespread - so do your homework on this before reaching a final conclusion). The house rent as well as the schooling fees can be quite expensive than you imagine. So dig up as deep as you can and take the leap cautiously.
It is always recommended that you arrive in Gulf first, set up the things there and when everything is ready - get the family down there. To secure a family visa, you need to get your permanent resident visa, get a bank statement and then only you can apply for the family visa - in the best case this process would take 3 months. You may consider this as a buffer time to explore and set up rather than rushing. Worse scenario - you can have a fall back plan rather than doing that with all of your family.
Getting the documents ready
Remember none of your documents including the educational certificates are accepted in the middle east if they are not being certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka and that country's embassy in Sri Lanka. Only then you can get those recognized in the country you are going to work for. So from your employer get the list of documents you need to get attested.
The method at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was time consuming & chaotic a few years back but now there is an online reservation system available now at the Ministry and the link is here - Electronic Document Attestation System Online Reservations. So make an appointment before you go there. The detailed procedure & fees for getting the attestation from ministry can be found in this link - Authentication of Documents. Also you can check the progress here - Inquire Document Status. But remember - attestation of your engineering degree certificate takes time so allow sufficient time for that.
The registration with the Engineering Committee/Apex Body of the country - you will need the documentation from IESL. So keep them ready!
One important thing - many countries need you to bring a police clearance certificate from Sri Lanka to verify your good conduct. The detailed procedure, fees and document requirement can be found from the following link - Application for Clearance Certificate. There is an online system for this as well now - Police Clearance Certificates Issuance e-Service Online Application. However if you have stayed in few countries after birth the process gets little complicated as you may need to get a police clearance from those countries as well - so keep in mind. This police clearance document also has to be attested by the Embassy of that country you are intended to go stationed in Sri Lanka.
Make sure you get all the documents attested before stepping into the flight! Trying to get that done while you are in a foreign country would not be a pleasant thing to do.
Final CheckList
So you have finally decided to take the leap - Best of luck! Here is a typical list before you board the flight!
- Research outcomes about the country & company you are going to work for. Avoid surprises and know in advance what is to be expected!
- Passport valid at least for the next 5 years ➢ Employment letter & Work Visa (Validate the visa online) ➢ Attested documents (You may have to contact your potential company for the comprehensive list. If planning to move with family there will be additional requirements like marriage certificate, birth certificates of children etc)
- Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau registration - Details (This is a must as per the Sri Lankan law and if not registered you will not be allowed to leave the airport)
- Airport pick up (arranged by your company or friend), accomodation details (if company is not providing, they will temporarily provide you with a hotel or suitable place so make sure you get all the details)
- Few things to satisfy taste buds like Polos curry, Seeni Sambol etc etc (Never bring Pork though)
When you arrive
- Take your time, take a rest and celebrate that you have made this far. No need to rush - it’s going to be marathon!
- Take a SIM for your mobile (prior to arriving select the package you want and you can take this from the airport itself showing the passport)
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Always treat local customs & traditions respectfully - after all its their land (Better do a cultural study & until you get familiar first observe before acting). Some points to note (applies to most of the gulf countries)
- In public places/public transportation there are separate areas for families/women - don’t get into the trouble unless you are with your wife (Lady engineers - no issue)
- You are not allowed to take photographs of other women. If you do this even by a mistake, you can still get into trouble - so keep in mind.
- There are regulations related to consumption of alcohol and certain meat types. You are required to have a liquor license to buy & consume alcohol - so adhere to the procedure/law (There is a minimum salary to obtain this too). In some countries alcohol is not permitted.
- Be mindful when uploading contents to social media
- At work - learn the new technical standards which applies to the gulf, specially the way of getting things done/communication - it will be a lot of fun! It might not be your way but do not plan to create a conflict. You may be able to be a change agent in your organization but your first few months are not the time for that. ❖ Explore the new culture, specially the food & landmarks. Meet new friends from other cultures. Enjoy!
- If there is a local chapter of IESL in the country, join that. You can make lots of friends and professional connections as well. After all it's amazing thing to have an our own IESL Chapter in a foreign country!
Final Word
The above things are the facts you need to check as a precautionary manner and there is no need to be scared - after all may gulf countries have very low crime rates especially Qatar & UAE (your family safety will be your least worry in most cases) and offer good living standards. Also as a professional you will be treated with dignity where you can gain whole set of new experience.
If you do your homework and do careful planning, the life in Gulf can be a truly memorable and rewarding experience for you as well as your loved ones and a truly awesome experience for your kids!
The key is attention to detail & well-detailed pre-planning!
Nadeera Wijesinghe
nadeerawije@gmail.com
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